Cotham was in command from the start of the game taking a perfect game through 4.2 innings and eventually allowing only four Norse (8-38, 3-16 A-Sun) batters to reach. The veteran fanned seven Northern Kentucky batters while walking only one as the Bisons claimed the first 1-0 shutout in the NCAA Division I era.

“Josh came out and attacked them early throwing a lot of strikes,” said Lipscomb head coach Jeff Forehand. “He competed and threw a lot of strikes and did a lot of good things today. A great performance by him and I’m proud of our guys and proud of how Josh battled for us when we needed him.”

Lipscomb (16-30, 6-13 A-Sun) got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning cashing in on a Norse miscue. Senior third baseman Gray Hutchinson reached when a throw from NKU shortstop Bradley Vanderglas bounced in the dirt and was dropped when first baseman Logan Spurlin grabbed the bounce but his glove broke.

Lipscomb freshman second baseman Austin Sistrunk then picked an opportune moment for his first collegiate double with a rocket off the left field fence that allowed Hutchinson to round the bases and score from first for the game’s only run.

Cotham then allowed the Norse to mount a comeback attempt in the fifth as NKU got a pair of hits and a walk to load the bases but the Mount Juliet, Tenn. native got out of the jam with a fly out to right. From that point on Cotham was in full command allowing a lone hit in the eighth to earn his second career shutout.

Aric Harris took the loss for Northern Kentucky allowing the one unearned run in six innings of work.

The series continues on Saturday at Noon at Friendship Park between the two squads.